To document my readings and to share quotes/insights from those readings. Enjoy :D

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The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

There were 4 children (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy). They were sent to a professor’s house because of the war. The professor had a housekeeper called Mrs Macready and three servants called Ivy, Margaret and Betty. He was old and looked funny. Edmund didn’t want to go to bed. Peter wanted to do whatever he wanted in the room. It was a huge house where they were in. Peter thought the house was surrounded by birds. It was raining outside. Peter wanted to explore the house now. It was full of unexpected places, like a room full of pictures, a suit of armor, a room with a harp, rooms lined with rooms. There was a room with a huge wardrobe and it had a mirror plus a dead bluebottle on the window sill. Lucy was curious and opened the door and saw fur coats. She felt at least two rows of coats and kept going. Later, she felt something hard and rough rubbing against her. It was like branches of trees almost. Later she found herself in the woods with snow under her feet. She met a lamppost and then a very strange person. He was taller than her and carried an umbrella. He had the face of a man, but his lower half resembled a goat. He had a tail. He was carrying brown-paper parcels. He was a Faun.

The Faun introduced himself as Tumnus and was surprised to see humans around. They were in a land called Narnia. Tumnus invited over her for tea. He addressed her as daughter of Eve. He brought her to a cozy cave with a fireplace. They had eggs and sardines and toast. He filled her in on stories of the forests. Tumnus started playing his flute. Lucy, unknowingly, stayed for a few hours. Suddenly, he started crying and wouldn’t stop. He admitted he was the worst Faun in the world. The White Witch controlled him and he worked as a kidnapper. He was supposed to hand Lucy over to her. The white witch would take revenge on him if he failed to hand Lucy over. It was settled that he would bring her back to the lamppost quickly to avoid detection. Lucy managed to enter back into the room via the wardrobe.

When the other kids tried to enter the wardrobe, they couldn’t. It was now just an ordinary wardrobe. It was so queer. Later, Lucy burst into tears. Edmund was spiteful and mean towards her. Later, the kids played hide and seek. Edmund followed Lucy into the wardrobe and then quickly shut the door behind him. He also found himself in the forest. In desperation, he called for Lucy. He saw a sledge being pulled by a reindeer. A fat dwarf was pulling it. Behind the dwarf was a tall lady with a crown on her head. She introduced herself as the queen of Narnia.

The queen was furious that Edmund managed to trepass. She was willing to talk to him. She offered him something to drink. Next, as per Edmund’s request, the queen offered him Turkish delight. The queen wanted to see his brother and two sisters. She wanted to raise a prince to take over the King. She insisted that he had to return to fetch them before she would show him her house. The queen mentioned that the Fauns often say weird stuff. Edmund finally bumped into Lucy on the way back. It turns out that the Queen was the witch as well. The Fauns, Dryads, Naiads and Dwarfs hate her. She has the ability to turn people into stone. Edmund was not feeling well at the moment.

Lucy went back into the house and announced that they could enter the forest. Edmund was being idiotic and superior and pretended he saw nothing. He was being more nasty. Lucy had been crying at the corner. Lucy emphasized on the truth. Peter and Susan were pissed at Edmund for behaving that way. The professor asked Peter and Susan on who they believed more. The professor believed that the separate world held a different time. Often, there would be visitors at the house. All four of them entered the wardrobe.

Why don’t they teach logic these schools? There are only three possibilities. Either your sister is telling lies, or she is mad, or she is telling the truth. You know she doesn’t tell lies and it is obvious that she is not mad. For the moment then and unless any further evidence turns up, we must assume that she is telling the truth. – The Professor

Peter and Susan finally believed that they entered the woods too. As it was cold, they put on the coats. Peter was excited about the whole trip. Lucy proposed to go see Mr Tumnus. She managed to locate his cave easily. Apparently, people have visited the cave and messed it up. Mr Tumnus was under arrest by order from the Queen of Narnia for harboring spies and mixing with humans. Lucy mentioned that the Queen was a witch. Lucy wanted to rescue him. Edmund was against this idea. They followed a robin, hoping it would bring them to Mr Tumnus. They suddenly realized they were lost and Edmund was suspicious about where the robin was taking them.

The boys spotted a furry animal in the trees. The stranger popped out from behind the tree. It was a beaver. The children were wondering whether they should follow it. Peter was willing to follow it. The beaver started talking now. The beaver mentioned about Tumnus and the arrest and a guy named Aslan. It promised to bring them for dinner now. They reached on the edge of a valley. There was also a dam and a deep pool of ice. There were icicles and it was a real spectacle. Edmund recognized that the Witch’s house was nearby. It was a treacherous route before they reached the house. Mr Beaver introduced everyone to Mrs Beaver. The beaver brought them fish. The children helped Mrs Beaver to prepare the table. Their cave was more like the inside of a ship. They were going to have potatoes and fish. Mr Beaver was careful to make sure that no one was following them.

Mr Tumnus was taken away by the police. He was taken to the Witch’s house and might have been turned into a statue. Mr Beaver warned them against trying to enter the witch’s house. Aslan was the King and he would deal with the fake queen. Aslan would save Mr Tumnus. Aslan is the great Lion. The children would meet Aslan tomorrow. The witch was always on the lookout for humans. If the four children sit on the thrones respectively, the white witch would be gone. Edmund was missing. He was nowhere to be found. The beaver knew that he went to visit the witch on his own. Edmund didn’t tell the rest who did he meet and his encounter with the witch. Mr Beaver discouraged them from taking any action and to wait for Aslan. They were afraid that Edmund would expose their location and the witch would hunt them down. They all decided to leave the place at once.

Edmund kept thinking about the Turkish delight. He was afraid of Aslan. He wanted to be a Prince. Edmund convinced himself that Aslan was evil when deep down, he knew that the witch was the evil one. It was a difficult journey to her palace. He kept fantasizing about the life he would lead as a king. Deep in his mind, he hated Peter. Finally, he came upon the White Witch’s house. There was an enormous lion inside the house. However, it was not moving at all. Then, he realized he was cast in stone. He did something stupid which was to scribble a moustache on the lion’s upper lip. There were a dozen other statues there. He came upon a wolf which growled at him. The wolf went to inform the Queen about the visitor. The gray wolf was Maugrim. The witch was pissed as he came alone, without his other friends. He told the queen the story and the queen instantly wanted to set off.

Mrs Beaver was still preparing dinner. She wanted to bring the sewing machine with her as well. Mr Beaver locked the door and all the children were outside now. The load was heavy and Lucy was struggling to keep up . Mr Beaver and party wanted to get some sleep. They heard the sound of jingling bells. There was a man on a reindeer. He was very big and he was known as Father Christmas. He gave presents to the children and repaired the dam. He gave Peter a sword and a shield. Susan received a bow and a quiver full of arrows. If she blew into a horn, she would receive instant help. Lucy received a bottle of glass and a dagger. It contained juice which could restore health. Soon, he was out of sight. Everyone enjoyed their sandwiches but knew they had to keep moving.

The queen served Edmund dry bread and didn’t serve any Turkish delights. They took the sledge away. She wanted to use the wolves to kill the Beavers. The wolves found the house empty. Edmund hated it and imagined it was a dream. The witch came upon a fox and his family feasting and stopped them. Father Christmas gave the fox family food. The witch didn’t believe that Father Christmas was here. She turned the foxes into stone. Edmund was shocked by her actions. Suddenly, there was a pitter patter of water and the frost melted. The snow was melting and the sledge couldn’t move anymore. They had to walk now. The trees were green now. Soon, the birds were chirping and singing. It was a beautiful sight to say the least. Everything was coming alive.

The winter was disappearing. The witch was losing her power. They knew the witch was on foot. They were at the top of the hill. Aslan was in the center of a crowd of creatures. He had 2 leopards beside him. Aslan knew their names. Mr Beaver informed him that Edmund left the group. Aslan promised to help look for Edmund. He gave them a feast. He wanted Peter to be the King at a palace. Peter would be the first one. The Naiads and Dryads were scattering about. Peter came upon a wolf. He drew his sword and wanted to strike the wolf. Finally, he managed to kill it. Aslan reminded him to wipe his sword.

The dwarf knew that Aslan was here. The witch wanted the stone table again. She summoned all her forces for the great battle ahead. Edmund fainted after he felt people tying him up. The centaurs, unicorns carried Edmund back to the stone table. Edmund apologized to the others. The Queen wanted to speak to Aslan in a peaceful matter. However, Aslan didn’t allow her to bring her wand. Finally, the witch met Aslan. The children were frightened by her appearance. The queen was the emperor’s hangman previously. She felt that his life was his property. She had control of deep magic and mentioned that she needed blood or else Narnia will perish in fire and water. Aslan had a private discussion with the witch. The witch renounced the claim for Edmund’s blood and fled.

Aslan wanted to encamp at the Fords of Beruna tonight. He predicted that the witch was planning for a siege. He gave instructions on how to battle the witch in the woods and the castle. Aslan mentioned that he might not participate in the battle. Susan and Lucy spied on Aslan and followed him into the woods. Apparently, he appeared to be very tired. The lion allowed them to follow him. He was approaching the stone table. All the witch’s animals were waiting there already. All the animals tied him up while the kids looked from afar. Aslan didn’t show any sign of resistance at all. The Orge shaved him. Aslan looked braver and more patient than ever to Susan. They placed a muzzle over his mouth. The witch drew a knife and wanted to kill him.

And now, who has won? Fool, did you think that by all this you would save the human traitor? Now I will kill you instead of him as our pact was and so the Deep Magic will be appeased. But when you are dead what will prevent me from killing him as well? And who will take him out of my hand then? Understand that you have given me Narnia forever, you have lost your own life and you have not saved his. In that knowledge, despair and die. – The Witch

The witch wanted to crush the humans now. The children were frightened out of their wits. Aslan was dead. The children mourned his death. They removed his muzzle and untied him. There were mice scurrying on the ground and they were nibbling at the knots. The sky was more white now. Suddenly the stone table cracked and there was no Aslan. By a stroke of magic, Aslan stood behind them now. The children kissed him profusely. Aslan felt strong now. Aslan allowed the kids to ride on him. It was extremely scenic ride. He landed amongst the stone statues at the witch’s castle.

It means that though the Witch knew the deep magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know. Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time. But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation. She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor’s stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backward. – Aslan

Aslan breathed into the stone lion and managed to free him. All the statues were coming to life. It was like a zoo now. It was a spectacular sight. There was also a giant. Aslan wanted everyone to look inside the house. Susan found Mr Tumnus. Lucy and Mr Tumnus were finally reunited and they were elated. Giant Rumblebuffin bashed at the gates, trying to break it. The Buffins were a very respected family in Narnia. The witch was fighting with Peter using her stone knife. The reinforcements came to assist Peter’s army.

The witch was soon slain and her troops gave up as well. Peter and Aslan shook hands. Lucy started giving drops of the magic potion to those wounded. Peter did the right thing by breaking the witch’s wand, rendering her less powerful. The next day, Aslan proclaimed that the 4 kids would be kings and queens. Aslan quietly slipped away. He would return to Narnia as and when he liked. The 4 children ruled the country well. They all had names. King Peter the Magnificent, Susan the Gentle, King Edmund the Just, Lucy the Valiant. They came upon the lamppost, which seemed oddly familiar. Finally they felt coats instead of braches. They tumbled out of the wardrobe and into the empty room. The children recounted the entire story and the Professor believed everything they said. He didn’t encourage them to use the same route to enter Nania. It was just the beginning of adventures of Narnia.

Once a King in Narnia, always a King in Narnia. But don’t go trying to use the same route to Narnia twice. Indeed, don’t try to get there at all. It’ll happen when you’re not looking for it. – The Professor

…And don’t mention it to anyone else unless you find that they’ve had adventures of the same sort themselves. What’s that? How will you know? Oh, you’ll know all right. Off things they say- even their looks – will let the secret out. Keep your eyes open. – The Professor